08:23 AM EDT, 05/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The broad market exchange-traded fund SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) was up 0.3% and the actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) advanced 0.3% in Friday's premarket activity, amid lingering uncertainties surrounding the effects of the US trade policy on consumer prices and corporate earnings.

US stock futures were also higher, with S&P 500 Index futures up 0.3%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advancing 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures gaining 0.3% before the start of regular trading.

The April housing starts and permits bulletin, and the April import and export prices report will be released at 8:30 am ET.

The May consumer sentiment release from the University of Michigan posts at 10 am ET, followed by the weekly Baker Hughes oil-and-gas rig count at 1 pm ET.

Federal Reserve Richmond President Thomas Barkin speaks at 6 pm ET, and San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly at 8:40 pm ET.

In premarket activity, bitcoin was up by 0.6% and the cryptocurrency fund ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) was 0.7% higher.

Power Play:

Consumer

The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLP ) was down 0.1%, while the Vanguard Consumer Staples Fund (VDC) was inactive. The iShares US Consumer Staples ETF ( IYK ) was up 0.5%, and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLY ) gained 0.3%. The VanEck Retail ETF ( RTH ) was inactive, while the SPDR S&P Retail ETF ( XRT ) advanced 0.4%.

RLX Technology ( RLX ) shares were up more than 4% pre-bell after the company reported higher Q1 non-GAAP earnings and net revenue.

Winners and Losers:

Health Care

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLV ) advanced 0.5%. The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ( VHT ) was up 0.6% while the iShares US Healthcare ETF ( IYH ) was inactive. The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was inactive.

Novo Nordisk ( NVO ) stock was down more than 4% premarket after the company said CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen would step down after an unspecified period.

Technology

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) advanced 0.2%, and the iShares US Technology ETF ( IYW ) was 0.2% higher, while the iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF ( IGM ) was up 0.7%. Among semiconductor ETFs, SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF ( XSD ) was inactive, while the iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose by 0.3%.

WeRide ( WRD ) shares were up more than 3% in recent premarket activity after the company said it has launched fully driverless robo-taxi trial operations in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Industrial

Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLI ) advanced 0.3% while the Vanguard Industrials Index Fund ( VIS ) and the iShares US Industrials ETF ( IYJ ) were inactive.

Brady (BRC) stock was down 2.8% before the opening bell after the company reported lower-than-expected fiscal Q3 net sales.

Financial

Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLF) advanced 0.2%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares ( FAS ) was up 0.5%, while its bearish counterpart Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares ( FAZ ) was 0.6% lower.

Coinbase (COIN) on Thursday warned of a potential $180 million to $400 million hit from a recent cyberattack and is reportedly under SEC investigation over past user metrics. The crypto company's shares were up 1.7% pre-bell Friday.

Energy

The iShares US Energy ETF ( IYE ) was inactive, while the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLE ) was up by 0.2%.

Commodities

Front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil advanced 0.3% to $61.79 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Natural gas declined 1.4% to $3.32 per 1 million British Thermal Units. United States Oil Fund ( USO ) was up 0.1%, while the United States Natural Gas Fund ( UNG ) was 0.8% lower.

Gold futures for June lost 1.5% to reach $3,177.40 an ounce on the Comex, while silver futures retreated 1.5% to $32.18 an ounce. SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD ) fell 1.8%, and the iShares Silver Trust ( SLV ) was 1.6% lower.